I think he knew/planned for Doyle’s transfer and that Donnal wouldn’t get a fifth year.
1 Like
The Davis take doesn’t confuse me. I think it was Beilein reacting to lack of height on past teams and having to compete with teams like Kentucky who always seemed to have multiple guys at 6’11" or taller. Compounded by losing Morgan, Horford and McGary all in one year. I think he saw a chance to grab an extra big and figured it was better to have one too many than one two few.
2 Likes
I think every team would be smart to have 3 scholarship players who can play the 5, since those guys usually need more in-game rests and can be foul prone; and hopefully Davis ends up being a solid contributor–Ricky leaving/being shown the door seems to imply that the staff likes what they have in him. But, for now, it seems like the scholarship could have been better utilized, since our roster is so clearly lacking defense and play-making.
1 Like
The thought of Davis, even after 4 years, matching up with UK bigs is 
I hear what you are saying, but we have a scholarship that went unused this year, at least one still open for next year (with 3 already used for non-creating or defensive oriented players). So, I don’t think the Davis slot is what is keeping us from signing those types of players.
1 Like
That’s fair, we did have room to take another frosh/grad transfer for 16-17, even with Davis on board. Maybe the bigger question, and bringing things back to the thread topic: is Davis getting in the way of an Elliott offer, especially since we dont have room for both Bamba and Elliott? And then a Bamba decline + Elliott scholarship takes us out of the grad transfer market.
Seems like the board would be ok with Elliott > grad transfer
Well, really the thing that’s hurting us is Watson not being able to be counted on as a solid contributor for next year. If, for example, we landed Battle or Langford instead, we would probably be feeling good about our 2/3 positions next year.
1 Like
J Mo held his own in 2014. I mean, if they trot out a Davis or Towns, sure, that’s a huge problem. But they don’t always have guys like that. No one on this year’s team is all that special, in terms of bigs. It’s the Monk and Fox show.
You think Davis and Morgan are equivalent? You think Davis could guard a Bam Adebayo?
I think it’s WAY too early to draw any conclusions about Davis, especially before he’s ever played a game. JB has called him our best rebounder, though, so that’s at least a positive. I also think Morgan is the type of guy who this board would be universally questioning as a recruit, but he turned out to be pretty good.
Bam Adebayo is pretty limited offensively. He might go for like 15/8 against us. I think a junior or senior Davis would hold a guy like him to that. Again, of course, it would just depend on the quality of the UK big man in question, as clearly Davis could not guard a Towns or Davis, though to be fair not many people can.
1 Like
I also think it’s fine to recruit developmental big guys like Davis. Morgan and Horford were both projects, and both were solid rotational guys here. And it hasn’t prevented us from recruiting the likes of McGary and now Bamba. And we certainly tried to recruit guys like Payne, Swanigan, and Ellenson, they just didn’t show real interest.
1 Like
I don’t think the issues is whether Davis will be a rotational player as an upperclassmen. The discussion started because someone questioned why Davis was an add with 3-4 centers already on the roster but the same approach doesn’t apply for other positions of need. Someone stated he was added as depth after JB lived through the UK game and it is something I think is illogical.
I agree. We have actually gone from a position where our big men were inadequate to a position where they are now the strength of our team. Oddly enough, coming into next year the concern is point guard and having enough quality wings.
Last nights game screamed “offer Greg Elliott”
2 Likes
Davis is only 6’8" and won’t play the 4. How does that address height?
Our big men are a strength?!? Our three big men had a combined three rebounds last night. They were TERRIBLE. If that’s our strength then we are in worse shape than I thought.
He’s 6’10" everywhere I looked.
1 Like
Agreed. Between Irvin missing wide open threes (and Christ, hitting the side of the backboard on one), no one being able to score other than Walton, and no one having any ability to drive, we could use him. That, and MAAR leaving Loving wide open all night.
Plus, even the most optimistic people on Bamba think we need to make the tourney for him to come.
That ship is real close to sailing. I’d offer Elliott now and find room for Bamba later in the unlikely event he wants to come.
1 Like
To be brutally honest, I think we should make at least 3 spots available. I don’t think either 5th year should be renewed, and apply some serious pressure elsewhere in those end of the year talks.
1 Like